Criminal
by CaptainBrieOnToast
Summary: Castiel is in a relationship with an abusive boyfriend when he meets Dean. He doesn't know anything real about Dean, just that Dean stands up for him against his boyfriend. The next thing he know's they are living together, little does he know, Dean is a wanted murderer. But does the crime fit the suspect?


_I know you told me I should stay away_  
 _I know you said he's just a dog astray_  
 _He is a bad boy with a tainted heart_  
 _And even I know this ain't smart_

 _But mama I'm in love with a criminal_  
 _And this type of love isn't rational, it's physical_  
 _Mama please don't cry, I will be alright_  
 _All reason aside I just can't deny, I love the guy_

Castiel was never into social situations, yet here he was. At a party with his stuck up boyfriend Crowley. It really was a beautiful party. Castiel stood in a black suit while Crowley went on about politics, laughing with his snobby friends while holding a champagne glass between his fingers.

Castiel would rather be at home then here, enduring Crowley's fits of anger over Castiel not cleaning the kitchen to his standards rather than this. He didn't bother hiding his displeasure either. He instead peered around the ballroom with wide curious eyes.

"Can you try smiling just once here?" Crowley suddenly whispered into Castiel's ear. He didn't reply, just lowered his eyes. "It's embarrassing. You look like you are at a funeral."

Castiel began to turn away from him, not wanting to hear what Crowley had to say.

"Why don't we see that pretty little face of yours, huh?"

Castiel kept his eyes cast towards the ground, which turned out to be a bad choice on his part. In a moment Crowley was in his face, hand gripping Castiel's chin tightly.

"When I'm talking to you look me in the face! Don't disrespect me," he said angrily. Castiel's eyes teared up a little at the tight grip and he pulled away, retreating from the situation to the bathroom. He distantly heard Crowley apologizing about what had just occurred. He didn't care.

He found himself staring at himself in the bathroom as tears ran down his face. He wiped them away and simply stared at himself. He barely noticed the man standing behind him.

"Are you alright?"

Castiel glanced at him through the mirror. Green eyes, freckles, crisp suit.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Doesn't seem like it to me. Is that how your man always treats you?"

Castiel lowered his eyes and didn't reply.

"I wouldn't treat you like that."

Castiel didn't say another word. He left the bathroom, uninterested in the surely grandeur words that were going to leave the strangers mouth. He regretted that decision the moment he saw who Crowley was talking to.

Castiel said talking, but he meant flirting, because no one who wasn't flirting needed to be that close to one another. Castiel didn't waste a moment, he walked up beside the two and gave them incredulous looks. Then he turned his eyes to the woman.

"I see you aren't working the street corners tonight," he said in a moment of bravado. Crowley stared at him.

"I'm so sorry," he said but it was directed at the woman, not Castiel.

He yanked Castiel by his wrist, dragging him out from the party. The stranger from the bathroom was close behind staring at them. Meanwhile Crowley was focusing on getting Castiel's attention.

"Who do you think you are?" He demanded. "You think you can act like that when we are out?"

Castiel's eyes remained on the stranger. He held no emotion on his face, so neither did Castiel.

"Pay attention to me!"

A sharp pain reached Castiel's cheek. He turned his head and held his cheek for a moment in surprise. Crowley hit him in public.

No sooner had Crowley hit had the stranger punched Crowley in the jaw and shoved him to the ground with a knee to the gut. Then he turned to Castiel.

"You okay?"

Castiel nodded wordlessly, his eyes on Crowley.

"Yeah," he breathed. The man was fumbling with something over there, a motorcycle Castiel discovered open observation. The man mounted it and then looked back at Castiel. He held out a hand.

"You coming?"

Castiel didn't have any other way home, he recognized that. But that didn't mean that going home with this man was a good idea. Either way, with a single glance back at Crowley he had made his decision.

"I do not even know your name," Castiel reasoned.

"Dean."

Castiel eyed him, looked back once more at Crowley who was babbling about how much of a worthless slut Castiel was.

"Castiel."

He got on the motorcycle, put on the helmet handed to him and wrapped his arms around Dean's waist. Dean looked back at him for a long moment, as if wondering something that he didn't want to ask aloud. Then he put on his helmet as well and revved up the motorcycle.

Castiel didn't ask where they were going. He knew he wasn't being taken home, for what reason he was unaware of. Not that he had a home anymore. He figured that must have been the reason he never considered arguing. He laid his head against Dean's back, not looking back up until the motorcycle stopped.

They were parked in front of an old brick building. It looked worn down and old, a place that would make Crowley wrinkle his nose in disgust. Castiel just stared up at it, waiting for Dean to make the first move. Dean stood up and smiled at Castiel briefly. He held out his hand for Castiel to take.

Castiel took it.

Dean lead him to a red door. He unlocked it with a small key and then looked back at Castiel.

"You didn't tell me where to take you," Dean said.

"I do not have any place to go," Castiel replied. Dean looked at him for a long moment and then nodded.

"You are mine to keep then."

Castiel nodded without hesitation. It made Dean smile. Castiel didn't smile back.

They walked into the apartment. It had one bed in the center of the room and a collection of lockers on the wall next to it. There was a kitchenette on the opposite side of the room, a bookshelf and a door that could only lead to the bathroom.

Castiel broke away from Dean to look around at the room. He gingerly picked up a book, Vonnegut. He placed it back down and walked over to the lockers. He peeked inside one and saw a silver gun. He wasn't sure what kind of gun it was, he never had been into guns.

Gingerly, Castiel picked it up and looked at it. He wondered idly why Dean needed this gun but in the end he decided not to ask. From behind him he felt a motion, and then Dean touched his shoulder. Castiel flinched away, pressing his back against the lockers in fear.

Dean didn't say a word. He just stared up at Castiel's hair which had lost it's slick look and was now pointed in numerous directions. Castiel stared, not breathing, unsure of what Dean was about to do. He reached his hand forward and brushed back a piece of Castiel's hair.

Castiel had the sudden urge to kiss him, but he resisted.

"Let me see it," Dean said softly. Castiel looked down at the gun.

"Is it loaded?"

Dean nodded silently. Castiel handed it to Dean. Dean smiled a hesitant smile and set the gun back in the locker.

"I'm going to get us some take out; you stay here alright?"

Castiel nodded in reply. Dean gave him a farewell smile and left Castiel alone in the apartment. Castiel sighed and loosened the tie around his neck, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. He looked around the room and walked over to a small bedside table. On it was a newspaper clipping that read:

 _Winchester Massacre_

 _Benny Laffitte was a rural traveler who wanted to see the world. After he first graduated high school he met Dean Winchester. The two became immediate friends and decided to travel the world together. They saw the sights while riding the country in an antique '67 Impala when things take a turn for the worst. Dean and Benny are at a bar drinking when Benny retires to their room with a woman. Dean stays in the bar for an hour, disappearing from the scene once for ten minutes. When he goes back to his room with local girl Lisa Braedon there is a dead male body in the room, manipulated beyond recognition. Later it was speculated that Dean Winchester was behind the murder._

 _"It was sick," Lisa recalled. "We got up there and he saw the body, stared at it for a while will I screamed. He didn't even cry. He closed the room door and said: 'Lisa don't look at that' as if he didn't even care!"_

 _Dean Winchester was being taken into custody when he fled the scene and escaped the polices' clutches. No one knows where he has gone but now the entire world is on red alert, searching for the criminal._

 _"My brother is no killer," says his lawyer brother, Sam Winchester. "He didn't kill Benny, I know him. He can't be convicted anyways. There is no evidence. There hasn't been a case."_

 _If you see this man, call the police immediately._

Attached to the newspaper article was a picture of a man that looked exactly like the Dean Castiel was with now. Castiel's heart stopped.

He was with a murderer. Waiting for a murderer to get back to feed him.

Castiel considered running, but something kept him from doing so. He stood up to go to the front door but instead found himself walking to the locker that he found the gun in.

He picked up the gun and peered at it. Then he sat down on Dean's bed and began to fumble with it, to try and find where the safety was.

That's how Dean found him.

Castiel looked up as the front door opened.

"I didn't know what you wanted to eat so I just got you lo mein."

"You killed someone," Castiel said in reply. Dean looked at him, putting the food in the kitchen on a counter.

"You're still here." He commented. Castiel nodded.

"Against my better judgement, yes I am still here," he replied. Dean gestured to the gun.

"You gonna shoot me?"

Castiel shook his head as a way to say no. Dean stepped towards him and reached for the gun. Castiel let him take it.

"You seem to really like this," Dean said as he put the gun back in the locker. Castiel just watched him.

"Are you going to kill me?" Castiel asked him. Dean seemed taken aback.

"No," he said firmly. He walked over to Castiel and stared at him. "You won't come to any harm with me Castiel."

"But…" Castiel gave Dean an uncertain look. "You killed that man."

An odd expression crossed Dean's face, like he had more to say on this subject but he wasn't really sure how to say it, or if he should say it. In the end he just walked back to the kitchenette picking up one of the boxes.

"Come eat, I don't have much money," Dean said. Castiel stood up and took the box from Dean. He grabbed a fork and began to pick at the food he was given.

"I have lots of money. You can use it," he said softly. Dean looked at him.

"Are you sure?"

Castiel nodded and gave Dean a credit card. Dean took it.

"This is directly linked with Crowley's bank account," he said with a grin. Dean looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.

"Crowley? The douche at the party?"

Castiel looked to the floor and nodded. Dean bumped his shoulder against Castiel's and gave him a curious look.

"Why were you with him?" He asked.

"At first, he was nice. After that… I guess it's for the same reason I am here with you," he said. Dean stared at him. Castiel stared back.

"You are an odd man."

"You killed a person."

"Aren't getting over that are you?" Dean asked with an irritated sound to his voice.

"Most people would not," Castiel reasoned. He looked down at his food and began to poke at it with his fork. He tried some. It tasted good enough. Salty and fattening, sure, but good. Better than anything Castiel had eaten when with Crowley.

"Crowley had me eat only greens and healthy foods," Castiel said randomly. "If we were out and someone offered me a sweet Crowley would laugh and tell them I was fat enough without it."

He looked down at his stomach.

"I've never been overweight in my life."

Dean stared at him.

"You can eat whatever you want here," he said. He then returned to eating his food. Castiel did as well.

When the time came all Castiel could do was stare at the spot he was supposed to inhabit on the bed. Dean was already laying on his side of the bed, staring up at Castiel.

"It's okay," he assured. "I won't hurt you."

It was convincing enough, but something inside of Castiel still boiled with uncertainty.

"I just met you," he said. "And I am about to get in bed with you."

Dean rolled his eyes.

"Get some sleep Castiel."

Castiel squirmed for just a moment in Dean's oversized sweatpants. Then he climbed into bed with Dean and fell asleep.

* * *

Dean was a surprisingly good roommate. He always woke up before Castiel and had a cup of coffee and breakfast ready for Castiel when he woke him up. He kissed Castiel on his forehead like he was his to protect and love before leaving for the day.

He would only be gone a few hours but even so Castiel missed him in a way that ached deep in his soul. He passed the time by reading, by thinking, and by reading up on Dean's case.

Dean would come home and make sure Castiel was okay and comfortable. They would spend the rest of the night talking about everything and nothing at the same time. It went on like this for weeks.

Castiel was missing, Crowley pinned the blame on Dean.

Secretly Castiel had been going to the library to catch the news. No one ever recognized him by some stroke of luck (or misfortune maybe). Sam Winchester was on the news more and more nowadays. He would stop at nothing to protect his brother, and it made Castiel wonder if Dean knew.

"My brother wouldn't kidnap anyone; he wouldn't kill anyone either! There is clearly a mistake. My brother is a good man."

Castiel knew this from firsthand experience.

Every day he fell for Dean Winchester a little more. He would give in, kiss Dean and let him have his wicked ways with him for hours at a time, but something always stopped him.

He tried not to question it most days. Other days all he did was question it.

Dean took care of Castiel. He even told him a few things about his past. He spoke of his brother, his mom and his father. He spoke of Benny and their friendship. He spoke about past girlfriends, his best friend Charlie Bradbury, and his Impala.

The more Dean spoke the less his sounded like the kind of man to murder a friend.

Dean never spoke about the murder. Never did he really acknowledge it.

Castiel thought it might be from guilt. Maybe it was from remorse.

One day Dean left his phone in the apartment. Castiel would have never answered it but he couldn't help it. He clicked the answer button.

"Hello?"

 _"Dean? What is this I hear about you murdering me?"_

Castiel's breath caught in his throat.

"Benny?" He asked.

 _"You aren't Dean."_

"I am not."

 _"You must be that dude he kidnapped."_

"Dean did not kidnap me."

 _"Figures. If you haven't guessed yet, Dean didn't kill me."_

Castiel actually chuckled.

"Figures."

He paused and then said: "Dean's an innocent man on the run from the law."

 _"Yeah."_

"We have to prove him innocent of all charges. There is still a dead person out there. We have to prove that Dean did not murder that person."

 _"How?"_

Castiel figured that would be easy enough. Without even realizing it Castiel had been preparing for this moment. The moment when he would build a team to help prove Dean innocent.

"We gather Sam Winchester, Charlene Bradbury, and we figure out who murdered that other person."

 _"What about Dean?"_

Castiel breathed out.

"He would never let me help. I doubt he would let any of us," Castiel reasoned. The door to the apartment opened and Castiel's eyes widened. "Don't call back."

He deleted the history and looked up at Dean guiltily. Dean looked back at him.

"What are you doing on my phone?"

Castiel didn't reply. He just stretched out his hand, offering the phone. Dean grimaced but shook his head.

"What's mine is yours Castiel. You are allowed to have your secrets."

He looked uncomfortable saying that.

"I trust you."

He didn't look uncomfortable saying that. Castiel set the phone down on the bed and stood up. He got very close to Dean and stared purposefully at his lips. Neither of them made a noise in reply to that. Neither of them so much as moved until finally Dean commented that they ought to be eating. Castiel had agreed.

Dean set out the food for Castiel to eat, which Castiel gracefully accepted. He watched Dean as he ate his food.

"I trust you too Dean," Castiel said after a very long time. Dean raised his gaze to Castiel's.

"I care about you a lot," Dean added, picking at his food with his fork lazily.

"I care about you a lot as well," Castiel replied.

"I need you," Dean said, his voice sounding a bit wrecked as he spoke the words. Castiel didn't reply to that. He just stared. Dean returned his attention to his food.

* * *

The next day, after Dean had left Castiel called Benny to pick him up. He had never really seen a picture of Benny, so when he saw a big gruff man step out of a black audi, Castiel was a little surprised. Benny seemed surprised for a moment when he saw Castiel too.

Castiel, as a grace to Dean, had been wearing what Dean bought him with little argument. His outfit was hardly anything he would normally wear, consisting in a pair of black jeans and a sheer white shirt with an image of the Eiffel tower on it.

"Dean buy you those?" Benny asked. Castiel nodded. Benny smiled. "Gotta love 'em. Come on pal. Let's get this show on the road."

Castiel nodded silently and stepped up, slipping into the passenger side of the car when Benny opened the door for him. He flushed at the attention, it was almost like he was being treated as royalty. Which is essentially what he commented on when Benny got behind the wheel.

"Why'd you do that?"

Benny glanced at him.

"Respect," he paused, as if considering his options. "And that tattoo, on your wrist."

Castiel glanced down at the small, barely noticeable tattoo that Dean had gotten done on Castiel's wrist. It was some sort of pentagram on fire with a pair of wings sprouting from it's edges. Castiel liked it, it was pretty and chaotic all at the same time.

"What about it?"

"That's Dean's mark," Benny explained breathlessly. "He told me he would ask the person he loves to get that tattooed on them."

Castiel stared at the tattoo.

"He loves you. Makes you royalty in his book, which makes you royalty in mine."

A comfortable silence fell over Benny and Castiel before finally Benny spoke.

"I called Charlie to meet us at this coffee shop downtown. She'll be there of course. Did you get Dean's phone?"

Castiel nodded mutely and pulled out the phone.

"Call Sam. I don't have his phone number."

Castiel nodded and thumbed through the phone until he found the contact that read "Sammy". He hoped it was the same person and clicked the call button.

The other line was answered in one ring.

 _"Dean?"_

"Hello Sam. My name is Castiel," Castiel said into the phone. There was a grunt from the other end of the phone.

 _"What? How did you get my brother's phone?"_

"He gave it to me."

Benny cut him a look.

"Brother, you sound sketchy as fuck."

 _"Whose that?"_ Sam demanded through the phone.

"Oh, that is Benny. Dean's other friend. We want to prove your brothers innocence. Meet us at…" He trailed off. "Where are we going?"

"The coffee shop off the corner of Smith and Murdock," Benny said. Castiel relayed that into the phone. Sam on the other end of the line was scrambling about.

 _"I'll be there in five."_

Castiel smiled and hung up. Benny glanced at him.

"How often do you talk to people?"

Castiel looked at the man.

"I was essentially a kept boy for many years of my life," he said as if it explained anything. Benny took it as a reply.

When they arrived at the coffee shop Benny got out, opened the door for Castiel and then rushed to hug a red-head sitting at a table with an anxious expression on her face. It lit up when she saw Benny.

"It's good to see you alive!" The girl said excitedly. Benny chuckled and lifted her up as if she was a paperclip.

"I bet it would be," he laughed. He smiled at her and set her back down.

"That's Castiel. He is with Dean right now."

Charlie smiled a greeting.

"Hi! I'm Charlie."

"Hello Charlie."

Castiel would have said more (maybe not so much) but he was interrupted by a very stern voice coming from behind him.

"What is going on here?"

Castiel turned around, surprised to see someone standing above him. He was glowering at Benny, with a stern look on his face. Castiel recognized the man to be Sam Winchester.

"All of a sudden the dead is alive and Charlie has finally graced me with her appearance." Then with an air of frustration Sam added: "Who's this?" Pointing at Castiel.

"You are tall." is all Castiel said. Benny sighed.

"He isn't good with people," he stated. He lifted Castiel's wrist to show Sam the tattoo on it. Sam looked down at it, and paled.

"No…"

Benny nodded with a short sigh.

"And man I never died. That dead body is someone else's. Castiel here answered the phone when I called Dean to inform him I was alive. He set up this. We are going to prove Dean's innocence."

Sam's eyes widened, but he still seemed a little enraptured about the tattoo. His eyes didn't leave Castiel's wrist.

"Why isn't Dean here?"

Benny snorted.

"Why do ya think?"

Sam looked confused for a second, and then he sighed in recognition.

"Right." His eyes raised to Castiel's. "How is he?"

Castiel shrugged and offered nothing more than that. It seemed to bother Sam but he didn't do much.

They all went to take a seat, Benny pulled out Castiel's chair for him. Castiel gave him a short glare in reply. Benny simply shrugged.

"How long do we have?" Charlie asked.

"Dean will be home at six," Castiel replied instantly. "I have to be back before he is."

The unspoken "he doesn't know I am out, and even I don't know what he will do to me if he finds out I left" hung in the air like an anchor.

"Right, we better get to work then."

They did not get very far.

The only evidence that they had to prove Dean was innocent was that Benny was in fact alive. That solved one issue, but they had to find out who actually killed the victim and then framed it on Dean. In the end the plan was to simply, get Castiel and Charlie in to see the mangled body, in an attempt to see if they could find out anything.

They were in the morgue legally, in an hour. There wasn't much talking going on. Just staring.

Blood was everywhere, and the body was mangled beyond recognition. There was however, one thing that Castiel found peculiar, and that was that he recognized the body.

Or more so the bodies tattoo on the inside of the victims wrist.

"I knew this guy," Castiel whispered, his voice barely audible. Charlie glanced at him once.

"What?" She hissed back.

Castiel scrunched his eyebrows.

"I knew this man. His name…" Castiel trailed off. He met him once at party. The man hadn't liked Crowley very much. Crowley hadn't liked him either. His name… "Alistair Freeman."

Charlie's eyebrows.

"How…?"

"The tattoo."

Charlie's eyes zeroed in on it. Then she grinned and took a quick snap of the tattoo.

"Awesome. That went better than planned."

Castiel nodded in agreement.

It really had.

They returned to the others and told them what happened. Sam had been over the roof with excitement. He urged Charlie to see if the man was checked into the hotel that night, and Charlie found that he was. Castiel frowned.

"What hotel were they staying at?" He asked softly. Charlie glanced at him.

"Black Rose motel and bar."

Castiel's eyes squinted.

"I was there," he recalled. Everyone turned to stare at him slack jawed.

"What?!"

Castiel nodded.

"Yes. We checked in and Crowley left me up in my room. He told me to stay in the room, which I did. I-" Castiel's sentence fell from his lips. "Check the night Dean was in the hotel. See if Crowley was there that night."

Charlie clicked a few buttons on her keyboard.

"Yes. Crowley and Alistair. All on the same floor as Dean."

Castiel blanched.

"Oh."

His fingers curled up into fists and he uncurled them staring into space. A hand touched his shoulder and Castiel looked up to find that it was Sam staring down at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, but his voice was full of business.

"I witnessed the murder."

Sam stared at Castiel for a beat.

"What happened?"

Castiel recounted how he went looking for Crowley and then found him in a room down the hall, standing over a person who was clearly in pain, screaming. Castiel had opened his mouth to say something about it when Crowley had suddenly switched pretending he was trying to get the man help. Castiel fell for it, but now he realized…

"Well. Great. We have ourselves a case," Sam said in disbelief. "I can't believe. This is the fastest a case has ever gone for me."

Benny smiled then glanced down at his watch.

"Shit," He muttered. He looked up at Castiel. "We have to go, you are going to be late."

Castiel's eyes widened and he followed Benny into the car. They rode through the streets and the drive felt so much longer than before.

"I'll contact you," Benny said briefly. Castiel nodded and jumped out of the car, racing into the apartment he now shared with Dean hoping he wasn't too late-

As soon as the front door was shut Castiel was slammed against the wall, blue eyes meeting a sea of green.

"Where the hell have you been?"

Castiel swallowed hard.

"Dean I-"

"I gave you one rule. Don't leave the apartment. It was for your damn protection and you didn't listen to me," he bit out. Castiel stared at Dean.

"I was safe."

"How long were you gone?"

Castiel stayed silent.

" _How long?!_ "

"All day."

"All day?! Do you know what-"

Castiel wasn't sure what possessed him to do it, but instead of listening to Dean yell at him for being reckless he surged forward and shoved their lips together.

A tension Castiel didn't even know was between them lifted, making Castiel sigh into the kiss. Dean put his hand on the small of Castiel's back, pulling him closer against him. After a while, Dean's tongue poked at Castiel's lips.

He didn't hesitate to open his mouth for Dean.

Finally when Castiel couldn't any longer breathe, he pulled away trying to shove off Dean's shirt as he panted for air.

"Fuck me," he demanded. Dean's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Cas-"

"Just fuck me Dean. I've wanted this for too long. Just fuck me."

Dean didn't argue any further, and that night was full of love, bliss and lots of sex.

* * *

Castiel woke up to someone pulling him out of bed. He was glad he had gotten dressed before falling asleep but he wasn't excited about the early wake up call. He went to voice his complaints when he realized that he was being pulled from bed by a cop.

The entire world around him seemed to go silent as Castiel watched the cops grab Dean. Castiel stared at him, ignoring the cop beside him who was no longer pulling him but asking him if he was okay.

Castiel's mouth fell open and one word left his mouth.

"Dean."

Dean's eyes locked with his and he gave him a look of pure sorrow.

"It was always going to end like this Cas. Stay safe," he said. Tears began to fall from Castiel's eyes and he shook his head.

"No," he whispered. "Let him go!"

He surged forward, grabbing onto Dean tightly.

"Don't let them take you," he begged silently. Dean shook his head.

"Cas…"

Before Castiel knew it he was being pulled back again, restrained once more. Castiel was in hysterics, screaming and crying as Dean was pulled away from him. Dean was out the door when Cas finally escaped from his captors. He ran forward and tried to grab Dean but Dean was already in a police car.

Castiel banged on the window of the car.

"Dean! No Dean!" He screamed desperately. He was spun around at that, pointed towards a camera and a woman with a microphone.

"You were the one that Dean kidnapped. Why are you so upset he's being taken away?" She demanded.

Castiel felt confused.

"Dean didn't kidnap me. He saved me from my abusive boyfriend."

The reporter looked surprised.

"A murderer saved you?" She asked surprised.

"He isn't a murderer either," he added.

"Oh really?" She said quickly, pushing the microphone closer to Castiel. Castiel nodded.

"I probably shouldn't say anything without my lawyer…"

"Look, all I want out of you right now is: If Dean didn't kidnap you, what happened?" The reporter asked.

Castiel sighed heavily.

"I went home with him because I didn't have a home anymore. Long story short… He was nice, and caring and protective. He loves me and…" Castiel trailed off uncertainly. "I think I love him. He's innocent. I know this for sure. We are going to get him released from prison. One step at a time."

"Step one starting now," a gruff voice added. Castiel looked back with again to see Benny standing nearby.

"Benny Lafitte is alive," Castiel said proudly. Benny nodded and wrapped an arm around Castiel.

"That's right and that means Dean has no motive."

Castiel and Benny smiled at each other.

"And Cas here, is free to stay with me until we get my pal out of prison."

Castiel smiled even wider.

"Thank you."

"No need for that!"

Castiel's eyes widen a bit.

"Crowley," he breathed. Benny stiffened and placed himself in front of Castiel.

"Crowley as in…?"

"My abusive exboyfriend," Castiel confirmed.

"Abusive? Is that what you are telling people?" Crowley asked innocently, stepping towards Castiel. Benny didn't allow him to get any closer. Crowley frowned. "Let the boy chose for himself if he wants me close to him."

"Cas?" Benny asked.

"You are fine where you are Benny," Castiel confirmed. Benny nodded firmly.

"Right. Now scram scum."

Crowley glared at Castiel.

"You think you have any right, you ungrateful slut. You run off from your just punishment for being a bad little bitch and you think you can just get away with it?"

The crowd gasped, and it was then that Crowley remembered he was surrounded by people and being broadcast on television.

Benny glowered at him.

"Get away from Castiel. He's being protected," Benny snapped. Crowley paled considerably.

"I was joking!" He insisted. When the crowd didn't seem to take that he looked at Castiel with a ferocity Castiel had seen many times before.

"Stop playing around," he growled murderously. "Come here, Castiel."

Castiel stared at Crowley evenly.

"I will be pressing charges against you for how you treated me and Dean may not have committed that murder but I know who did," Castiel stated. "I will be proving him innocent."

Crowley looked about to pop a vein but Castiel took no notice in it. He instead turned to Benny and muttered: "Let's go."

Benny nodded and they left.

* * *

A few months later and all the complications of getting Dean out of police custody were over. Dean was cleared, Crowley had been arrested, and Castiel now had a good chunk of money over suing Crowley. Now it could just be Castiel and Dean, and even though they had seen a lot of each other over the last few months it felt like Castiel was seeing him for the first time in forever.

"Hello," he said almost breathlessly.

"Hi," Dean replied.

Castiel looked down at his feet taking a deep breath. Dean seemed amused and approached Castiel. He put a hand on Castiel's shoulder.

"I missed you," Castiel spoke a loud. Dean smiled.

"I'm here now."

Castiel stepped away from Dean and walked over to the locker that held Dean's gun.

"Dean," he said, his voice soft. Dean stared at him. "Can I keep this gun?"

Dean walked over to Castiel. He tilted up Castiel's head with two strong fingers under Castiel's chin.

"It's yours," Dean said. They both leaned in at the same time, lips pressing together as they kissed liked they hadn't before.

"Dean. I love you," Castiel said, for once in his life clear on all the emotions he had been feeling these last few months.

"I know. I love you too," Dean replied affectionately.

They kissed again, and with that unspoken promise, Castiel knew that he would never let Dean go.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

This fic was inspired by Britney Spear's song: Criminal. Majorly inspired by the songs music video. I hope you liked the story, and I hate to be one of those author's but if you want to review, reviews make my day :) Have a great day!


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